Spring structure



Feb. 21, 1933. w. T. KYLE 7 1,898,491

SPRING STRUCTURE Filed July 3, 1929 INVENTOR Patented Feb; 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM THOMAS KYLE, OF SOUTHPOBT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE OWEN AUTOMATIC SPBING AND MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SPRING STRUCTURE Application filed July 3, 1929. Serial No. 375,608.

My invention relates to improvements in spring mattresses, cushions and the like and particularly to structures comprising 9. casing of fabric formed with cells or compartments in which coil springs are fitted.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to provide a separate cell for each spring so as to keep the s rings from striking against one another. iowever, much labor and expense is involved in making a casing with individual cells, particularly as the cells must be rovided with alined'openings to permit of inserting the springs into the casing after it has been formed. Furthermore, in such structures, the springs must be lashed, after insertion, to hold them in place and prevent them from lapping over one another and producingan uneven surface. In other words, cords, or the like, must be sewn through the casing and the end. coils of the springs to hoid the springs in place.

It is an object of the present invention to dispense with an individual cell for each spring, and to provide, instead, extended cells or tunnel like chambers, preferably runnin from one side to the other of the casing, an to insert in each tunnel a spring unit consisting of a plurality'of coil springs arranged in a row and connected in mutually'spaced relation. With his arrangement not only is the cost of the casing reduced but the process of introducing the springs into the tunnels simplified.

Another advantage of this arrangement is that lashing may be largely, if not entirely, dispensed with, because the springs are clipped together in such a manner that they will not ride over one another lengthwise of the row and the springs of one row are not so liable to ride over the springs ofathe next adjacent row because they are held in line by the clips.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment of my invention and thereafter the novelty and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is .a view in perspective of a spring structure embodying my invention,

with the casing thereof opened at one side and one end to show structural details and the arrangement of the spring units in the cas- 111g;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a spring unit in which open-end coil springs are used;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation illustrating a tool used for introducing a' unit into the casing;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the tool looking from the right hand side of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a spring unit made up of closed-end coil springs.

The casing of my improved spring structure is made of suitable fabric, such, for instance, as burlap, and it consists "of a sheet of the fabric doubled over upon itself to form a top wall 10, end wall 11,'and bottom wall 12. The top wall is wider than the bottom wall, providing flaps 13 and '14, respectively, which are sewed to the bottom wall to close the sides of the casing. The top wall is also longer than the bottom wall to provide a flap 15 which is sewed to the bottom wall to form the opposite end wall of the casing. Extending from side to side of the casing are partitions 16 of fabric. The partitions are turned over along their upper and lower edges to form flanges 17 which are sewed to the top and bottom walls, respectively.

in constructing the casing the partitions are sewed in before the side walls 13 and 14 and the end wall 15 are closed. The casing may be entirely'sewed together with the exce tion of one of the side walls 14 which is le t open to permit of inserting the spring units in the chambers or tunnels 18 formed by the partitions. The casing may be very easily at together in the manner above described because the seams are continuous.

The spring units consist of coil springs 19, preferably of the hour glass type, which are connected at the top and bottom by metal clips. As shown in Fig. 2 the coils are of the open end type. In other words, the ends 20 of each spring are free and not attached to another portion of the same spring. An advantage of using such springs lies in the fact that each spring is much more flexible than it would he were ,the ends attached to forma closed coil at the top and bottom of the spring, In using open end coils it is essential that the free ends be clipped to adjacent springs, so that they will not break through or tear the casing, and the end springs of each unit should be turned, so that the free ends face inward. Where two free ends 20 come together a clip 21 is used which is rigidly connected to eachfree end. The clip may be secured by indenting the clip and the spring ends, as indicated at 22, so that the cli will not slide off said ends. At diametrical y opposite points 'where the body of one end coil is connected to the body of another end coil, clips 23 may be used. Each clip 23 is fixed to one coil by indenting the clip and the coil, as indicated at 24, while the opposite end 25 ofthe clip is hinged to the adjacent coil.

In the spring unit, shown in Fig. 2, it will beobserved that the position of alternate springs is reversed and hence clips are alternately of the fixed type 21 and the hinge type 23. Various arrangements of springs may be 'used, so long as the free ends of the en springs of the unit, face inward or toward the other springs of the unit. If desired, a closed end coil of the type illustrated in Fig. 5 may be used at one or both ends of the spring unit. In the closed end coils, the spring ends are wrapped about an adjacent portion of the same spring, as indicated at 26, so as to obviate any loose spring ends at each end of the unit. On the other hand, the entire unit may be made up of closed end coils, as illustrated in Fig. 5. In such case all of the clips may be of the hinge type 23.

In cellular structures, as heretofore made, it has been necessary to keep the casing under tension to prevent the individual springs from slipping out of the openings in the cells through which the springs are introduced. In the present structure, no such precaution is necessary because there are no openings in the tunnels through which the springs may pass after the structure is completed. For this reason, the casingmay be made large enough to permit of introducing the springs therein without compression and when the structure is made up into a mattress, the padding and covering of the mattress may be so applied as to hold the springs in compression. On the other hand, if it be desired to keep the springs under pressure in the easing, a simple tool may be used for introducing each unit into the casing. Such a tool 'is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It consists merely of two bars 27 and 28 adaptedto bear against the top and bottom of the spring unit. The bars may be temporarily connected at one end by a staple 29. The free ends of the latter are turned inward and pivotally secured in the bar 27, while the loop 30 of the staple may be hooked over the end of the upper bar 28. The height of the staple is such as to pass freely into the tunnels 18.

In operation, a spring unit is introduced between the bars which are held together at one end by the staple 29, and may be compressed manually at the other end so as to compress the spring unit. The spring unit and tool are then introduced into a tunnel 18, after which the top bar is pulled, while the bottom bar is held in place. Obviously, the loop end of the staple will slip off the bar 28 as the latter is withdrawn. ,Thereafter the operator pulls out the lower barand the staple swings downward so that it will pass out freely with the bar to which it is attached. After all'the spring units have been introduced the side flap 14 is sewed to the bottom wall of the casing and the spring structure is then completed. If desired, the spring units may be lashed together, but as explained above such lashing is hardly necessary in view of the fact that each spring has limited movement by reason of its connection to the other springs of the unit.

It is preferable to extend the units transversely across the len th of the mattress, because there will then e a smaller number of springs in each unit and they can therefore be handled more readily. However, my invention also contemplates -a structure in which the spring units extend lengthwise of the casin Obviously, the walls of the casing may e made of separate pieces, if so desired, and other changes and variations may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit and S00 0 of my invention as pointed out in the fol owing claim.

I claim:

A spring unit comprising a row of coil springs each terminating at opposite ends thereof in free flexing extremities, the springs being arranged in pairs with-the extremities of each pair adjacent one another, clips rigidly connecting each adjacent'pair of extremities, and other clips hingedly connecting the end coils of each pair of springs to the end coils of the next adjacent pair.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

WILLIAM THoM-As KYLE. 

